DOCSLIB.ORG

South Texas Coastal Area Storm Surge Model Development and Improvement

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

AIMS Geosciences, 6(3): 271–290. DOI: 10.3934/geosci.2020016 Received: 01 June 2020 Accepted: 17 July 2020 Published: 21 July 2020 http://www.aimspress.com/journal/geosciences Research article South Texas coastal area storm surge model development and improvement Sara E. Davila, Cesar Davila Hernandez, Martin Flores and Jungseok Ho* Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, USA * Correspondence: Email: [email protected]. Abstract: The intensification of climatic changes, mainly natural geophysical hazards like hurricanes, are of great interest to the South Texas region. Scientists and engineers must protect essential resources from coastal threats, such as storm surge. This study presents the development process and improvements of a hydrodynamic finite element model that covers the South Texas coast, specifically the Lower Laguna Madre, for the aid of local emergency management teams. Four historical tropical cyclone landfalls are evaluated and used as a means of verification of the hydrodynamic model simulation results. The parameters used to improve the accuracy of the model are the tidal harmonic constituents and the surface roughness coefficient, or manning’s n value. A total of four different scenarios that use a variety of tidal constituent combinations and nodal attribute files were developed to identify the best case. Statistical evaluation, such as regression analysis, normalized root mean square error, and scatter index, was used to determine the significance of each hydrodynamic computational storm surge result with observed historical water surface elevations. In an effort to improving all models locally, using seven tidal constituents combinations along with a surface roughness nodal attribute grid that assigns values with respect to bathymetric data improves the accuracy of the storm surge model and should, therefore, be implemented for future hydrodynamic studies in the South Texas region. Keywords: storm surge; tidal constituent; hurricane; South Texas; Lower Laguna Madre 272 1. Introduction The assessment of climate impacts on natural geophysical hazards such as storms and floods are an area of significant interest due to the amount of damage it has caused to coastal areas. Tropical cyclones are the cause of millions of dollars in property damage yearly, so adequate risk assessment of these events is of significant interest to governments, industries, and communities in the area of vulnerability. In the state of Texas, tropical cyclones are responsible for the highest number of deaths of any natural hazard, claiming the lives of 6507 individuals between the years 1851 and 2020. Additionally, they have caused the most property damage of approximately $954.4 billion [1]. Historically, the South Texas region has been very susceptible to these types of natural disasters. In 1967, hurricane Beulah caused 58 deaths as well as $217 million in damages, which is equivalent to $1.59 billion in 2017 currency [2]. Additionally, in 2008 hurricane Dolly caused $1.3 billion in property damages in the United States [3]. Because South Texas is a coastal area with relatively low elevation and narrow stream channels, propagation of storm flood damage is prominent. Further, the Lower Laguna Madre is in this area, and it is essential to preserve this hypersaline lagoon due to the ecological impacts it has on the region [4]. Increasing the reliability of infrastructure systems, whether it be economic, political, and social, depends on the careful determination of surge vulnerability [5]. These natural hazards bring about tides, storm surge, and rain that ultimately are the cause of the damage. Storm surge, which is the abnormal rise in seawater, is one of the most prominent components to flood propagation in South Texas. Flood protection measures should be considered since the developments of this region are not sufficiently designed for extreme surge events [5]. The reason for this is because of how severe these storms are and the insufficient data available to predict the potential damage of these disturbances adequately. Because they do not occur periodically in this region as opposed to rainfall, there is no previous data available about earlier models that have measured hurricane effects, such as storm surge. Developing a coastal storm surge inundation model has the potential to allow emergency responders of the region to improve the resilience of the area. There have been numerous studies that have shown an effort to address natural hazard mitigation through appropriate and accurate storm surge model development. The National Storm Surge Hazard Map developed by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) displays worst-case storm surge flooding scenarios using the National Weather Service (NWS) hydrodynamic storm surge model. This NWS model uses Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) to create hypothetical storms using varying conditions to visually map out the inundation across 27 basins in the United States [6]. When a hypothetical Category 4 hurricane like that of Harvey (2017) is implemented into a grid that entails the Texas Coast, an estimated peak surge of 3.84 meters was generated in Calhoun County, Texas, which agrees with actual measurements [7]. The SLOSH model can assist in the validation of the developed South Texas hydrodynamic model by comparing surge heights of the historical and hypothetical hurricane scenarios. A comprehensive storm surge database, SURGEDAT, provides historical storm surge observations for the entire globe [8]. As an example, the SURGEDAT database provides the historical storm surge measurements for hurricanes that have made direct landfalls on the South Texas coast, such as the Dolly (2008) 1.22-meter surge and the Emily (2005) 1.52-meter surge. These measurements are useful to this study because we can use these values to compare and validate the developed model. An Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) model specific to the Gulf of Mexico region implements hindcast studies, which are dependent on AIMS Geosciences Volume 6, Issue 3, 271–290. 273 specific model input parameters, such as surface roughness coefficients [9]. Additionally, an ADCIRC model was developed for the Houston, Texas area for adequate sea barrier implementations, and values such as the surface roughness were also modified and observed for better accuracy of the model [5]. Although the TxBLEND water circulation model developed by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) is not a model designed for storm surge functions, it is a serviceable model to this study since it provides practical information for essential parameters like surface roughness values for the Texas coasts [10]. All these imperative analysis efforts are needed to provide essential data and communicate it to the public effectively. The appropriate selection of parameters will result in the accurate representation of computations from these models and maps. The objective of this paper is to select the best possible input variables that can provide the most accurate representation of extreme water levels during any hurricane event in the South Texas region. Figure 1. Finite element mesh model domain focusing on the South Texas Coast. The red hollow circle indicates the location of the buoy gage station. Coastal modeling is essential to promote conservation and adequate emergency management and planning [9]. Therefore, the primary focus of this project is to assure model accuracy being developed to achieve this data. A hydrodynamic model was adopted for the area of the South Texas AIMS Geosciences Volume 6, Issue 3, 271–290. 274 coast, specifically focusing on areas near the Lower Laguna Madre. Figure 1 entails the Gulf of Mexico in its entirety, with a focus on the Lower Laguna Madre area. All modeling requires a level of engineering judgment, primarily when focusing on the accuracy and model improvements. For this hydrodynamic model, the crucial parameters to focus on for proper calibration and model development is the tidal constituents and surface roughness coefficients. This paper entails the model improvement methodologies and the judgment that was made based on previous literature that has dedicated their time to similar projects. The goal is to improve the current hydrodynamic model developed for the South Texas region by determining the best tidal harmonic constituent combination and the surface roughness of the model domain. These parameters are tested by executing the hydrodynamic model with four historical hurricanes that have made landfall in the South Texas area. The four historical hurricanes include Bret (1999), Dolly (2008), Emily (2005), and Alex (2010). The computational data that is retrieved from the hydrodynamic model execution and then compared to the water surface elevation data provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) buoy stations. Statistical analysis, such as linear regression, root mean squared error method, scatter index, and percent increase is used to analyze the accuracy of each computational result. An accurate model would ultimately increase the usefulness to the communities in the nearby locations, for they are using a model that is reliable and accountable for their emergency management planning. 2. Materials and methods The Surface Water Modeling System (SMS) software is used for the pre-processing and post- processing of the finite element mesh development of respective areas [11]. The ADCIRC model is a finite element program that
Recommended publications
  • Texas Hurricane History

    Texas Hurricane History

    Texas Hurricane History David Roth National Weather Service Camp Springs, MD Table of Contents Preface 3 Climatology of Texas Tropical Cyclones 4 List of Texas Hurricanes 8 Tropical Cyclone Records in Texas 11 Hurricanes of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries 12 Hurricanes of the Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries 13 Hurricanes of the Late Nineteenth Century 16 The First Indianola Hurricane - 1875 21 Last Indianola Hurricane (1886)- The Storm That Doomed Texas’ Major Port 24 The Great Galveston Hurricane (1900) 29 Hurricanes of the Early Twentieth Century 31 Corpus Christi’s Devastating Hurricane (1919) 38 San Antonio’s Great Flood – 1921 39 Hurricanes of the Late Twentieth Century 48 Hurricanes of the Early Twenty-First Century 68 Acknowledgments 74 Bibliography 75 Preface Every year, about one hundred tropical disturbances roam the open Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. About fifteen of these become tropical depressions, areas of low pressure with closed wind patterns. Of the fifteen, ten become tropical storms, and six become hurricanes. Every five years, one of the hurricanes will become reach category five status, normally in the western Atlantic or western Caribbean. About every fifty years, one of these extremely intense hurricanes will strike the United States, with disastrous consequences. Texas has seen its share of hurricane activity over the many years it has been inhabited. Nearly five hundred years ago, unlucky Spanish explorers learned firsthand what storms along the coast of the Lone Star State were capable of. Despite these setbacks, Spaniards set down roots across Mexico and Texas and started colonies. Galleons filled with gold and other treasures sank to the bottom of the Gulf, off such locations as Padre and Galveston Islands.
  • Observation and a Numerical Study of Gravity Waves During Tropical Cyclone Ivan (2008)

    Observation and a Numerical Study of Gravity Waves During Tropical Cyclone Ivan (2008)

    Open Access Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 641–658, 2014 Atmospheric www.atmos-chem-phys.net/14/641/2014/ doi:10.5194/acp-14-641-2014 Chemistry © Author(s) 2014. CC Attribution 3.0 License. and Physics Observation and a numerical study of gravity waves during tropical cyclone Ivan (2008) F. Chane Ming1, C. Ibrahim1, C. Barthe1, S. Jolivet2, P. Keckhut3, Y.-A. Liou4, and Y. Kuleshov5,6 1Université de la Réunion, Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones, UMR8105, CNRS-Météo France-Université, La Réunion, France 2Singapore Delft Water Alliance, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore 3Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales, UMR8190, Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace, Université Versailles-Saint Quentin, Guyancourt, France 4Center for Space and Remote Sensing Research, National Central University, Chung-Li 3200, Taiwan 5National Climate Centre, Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne, Australia 6School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, Melbourne, Australia Correspondence to: F. Chane Ming ([email protected]) Received: 3 December 2012 – Published in Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss.: 24 April 2013 Revised: 21 November 2013 – Accepted: 2 December 2013 – Published: 22 January 2014 Abstract. Gravity waves (GWs) with horizontal wavelengths ber 1 vortex Rossby wave is suggested as a source of domi- of 32–2000 km are investigated during tropical cyclone (TC) nant inertia GW with horizontal wavelengths of 400–800 km, Ivan (2008) in the southwest Indian Ocean in the upper tropo- while shorter scale modes (100–200 km) located at northeast sphere (UT) and the lower stratosphere (LS) using observa- and southeast of the TC could be attributed to strong local- tional data sets, radiosonde and GPS radio occultation data, ized convection in spiral bands resulting from wave number 2 ECMWF analyses and simulations of the French numerical vortex Rossby waves.
  • Hurricane Ike: Do We Need to Change Our Thinking?

    Hurricane Ike: Do We Need to Change Our Thinking?

    AIRCURRENTS HURRICANE IKE: DO WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR THINKING? EDITor’s noTE: Of the three landfalling U.S. hurricanes in 2008, Hurricane Ike was by far the costliest. Perhaps because it was the largest loss in the last three seasons, it seemed to have captured the imagination of many in the industry, with estimates of as much as $20 billion or more being bandied about in the storm’s early aftermath. In this article, AIR’s Dr. Peter Dailey 12.2008 takes a hard look at the reality of Hurricane Ike. By Dr. Peter S. Dailey, Director of Atmospheric Science INTRODUCTION neither catastrophe modelers—nor the industry—should Hurricane Ike made landfall at Galveston, Texas in the early have been taken by surprise by Ike. While the storm morning hours of September 13, 2008. It was the third displayed some interesting characteristics, and managed and final hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. this year, to cause damage well inland (long after it had been preceded by Hurricane Dolly in late July and Gustav just two downgraded to a tropical depression and was no longer weeks prior to Ike. tracked by the NHC, the AIR model in fact performed very well in capturing the effects of this storm. All three landfalling hurricanes arrived on U.S. shores as Category 2 storms on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Yet according This article traces the history of Hurricane Ike’s brief but to the latest estimates by ISO’s Property Claims Services unit, costly assault on the U.S. It also looks at how the AIR U.S.
  • Hurricane Harvey Oral History Project Shelby Gonzalez HIST 5370

    Hurricane Harvey Oral History Project Shelby Gonzalez HIST 5370

    Hurricane Harvey Oral History Project Shelby Gonzalez HIST 5370 December 9, 2017 Hurricane Harvey Oral History Collection PROJECT TITLE: “Hurricane Harvey Oral History Project” NARRATOR: Dr. Kelly Quintanilla DATE OF INTERVIEW: November 6, 2017 INTERVIEWER NAME: Shelby Gonzalez DATE and LOCATION OF ITNERVIEW: Dr. Quintanilla’s office, Corpus Christi Hall at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas. President of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC), Dr. Kelly Quintanilla is one of many persons being interviewed for the “Hurricane Harvey Oral History Project” being conducted by Graduate Students in good standing in the History Master’s Program at TAMU-CC. Dr. Quintanilla explains to us the policies and procedures she followed to prepare the university and students for the possibility of Hurricane Harvey making landfall in Corpus Christi, Texas. This project was turned into the Hurricane Harvey Oral History Collection, which explores, uncovers, and highlights the lives of residents from South Texas who experienced Hurricane Harvey. The collection was created in an effort to ensure that the memories of those affected by the hurricane not be lose, and to augment the Mary and Jeff Bell Library’s Special Collections and Archives Department records. The collections contains interviews from residents of Port Aransas, the President of TAMU-CC,… (will be continued) 1 Dr. Kelly Quintanilla Narrator Shelby L. Gonzalez History Graduate Program Interviewer November 6, 2017 At Dr. Quintanilla’s office Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas SG: Today is November 6, 2017. I am here with the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi President, Dr.
  • Differential Social Vulnerability and Response to Hurricane Dolly Across

    Differential Social Vulnerability and Response to Hurricane Dolly Across

    Differential social vulnerability and response to Hurricane Dolly across the US-Mexico border Isabelle Ruin (NCAR), Cedar League (UCCS), Mary Hayden (NCAR), Barry Goldsmith (NWS), and Jeral Estupiñán (NWS) Introduction Loss reduction of life and property from flooding in the aftermath of hurricanes is dependent not only on adequate preparation and lead time, but also on effective warning dissemination and, more importantly, public response to the warning. Previous research notes that warnings are geared toward the cultural majority and are less likely to reach those who are most vulnerable – the poor, the elderly, and cultural minorities (Burton et al. 1978, Mileti 1999; Perry and Mushkatel, 1986; Lindell and Perry, 2004, Hayden et al. 2007). Mileti et al. (1975) found that appropriate response to warnings was more likely to occur if the warning could be confirmed by a variety of sources including various agencies, government entities, media, family or friends, thereby assuring those in the warning area of the accuracy of the message. Other factors that may influence an individual’s response to warnings include age, education, gender, previous experience with a hazard, environmental cues, perceived risk, source credibility, and message specificity within the warning (Gruntfest 1987; Tobin and Montz 1997; Lindell and Perry 1992). Hayden et al. (2007) found most people continue to receive warning information from home via television, while the internet also plays a small role. Successful warnings are those that are taken seriously and responded to in a timely and effective manner. Recent studies show that public reliance on “official” warnings from traditional sources may be shifting to more private and informal sources such as The Weather Channel and the internet (Baker, l995; Dow and Cutter, 1998; Drabek, 2001).
  • Appendix 8 Hazard Analysis

    Appendix 8 Hazard Analysis

    Appendix 8 Hazard Analysis Introduction This appendix includes several components. First is an overall discussion of the Hazard Analysis modeling effort, describing the surge (ADCIRC) and wave (WAM, STWAVE) modeling. That first section is followed by a subsidiary section labeled Appendix 8-1 that defines the many acronyms used in the modeling discussion. This is followed by a major section labeled Appendix 8-2 consisting of the Whitepaper of Donald T. Resio, ERDC-CHL, which forms the basis of the storm statistics and JPM methods discussed in the main body of the report. Owing to its prominence in the discussion, it has, for convenience, been referred to as R2007. Note that R2007, itself, includes several appendices; these are identified as Appendices A-G within Appendix 8-2. Finally, a discussion of the rainfall model is included here as Appendix 8-3. Hazard Analysis The hazard analysis required for the risk assessment was based upon the hurricane modeling conducted by a team of Corps of Engineers, FEMA, NOAA, private sector and academic researchers working toward the definition of a new system for estimating hurricane surges and waves. Following is a discussion of the processes used by this team and the steps taken by the risk team to incorporate the results into the risk analysis. The hurricane hazard definition required as input to the risk analysis involved several steps: 1. Selection of the methodology to be used for estimating surges and waves 2. Determination of hurricane probabilities 3. Production of the ADCIRC grid models for the different HPS configurations. 4. Production of the computer system for development of the large number of hydrographs required by the risk model.
  • Ch 5. the Atmospheric Environment Observed at Big Bend National

    Ch 5. the Atmospheric Environment Observed at Big Bend National

    Final Report — September 2004 5. THE ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT OBSERVED AT BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK DURING THE BRAVO STUDY The BRAVO Study intensively researched the properties of the particulate matter, atmospheric optics, meteorology, and air pollutant emissions of the study area during July through October 1999. The study also explored transport and diffusion by injecting perfluorocarbon tracers into the atmosphere at specific locations. Findings produced by these multiple experiments concerning the environment around Big Bend National Park and throughout the study area are summarized in this chapter. Some of these findings were carried into the source attribution analyses that are described in Chapters 10 and 11, while others advanced scientific understanding for future application. More detail on many of these studies and their results is provided in published papers and reports that are cited in the text; some of the reports are in the Appendix. 5.1 Particulate Matter Characterization by the Routine Measurement Network As described in Section 3.3, the BRAVO Study included an extensive network of particulate matter samplers that routinely collected 24-hour and 6-hour samples over the four-month study period. This section summarizes findings derived from the routine measurements concerning the temporal and spatial characteristics of the study area particulate matter and its composition. 5.1.1 Particulate Matter Temporal and Spatial Characteristics Evaluation of BRAVO Study particulate matter sample composition and temporal variation found similar behavior at groups of adjacent sampling sites in the study domain. The map in Figure 5-1 shows the grouping of sampling sites that this evaluation suggested. To provide a manageable description of the study period aerosol, concentration measurements at sites within each group were averaged together.
  • June Is a Month Full of History and Celebrations

    June Is a Month Full of History and Celebrations

    This Month: Celebrating June Father of Flag Day Food Bank RGV Valley Birding JDA Academic Honors Gerald Sneed, Wildlife Hurricane Season Begins TSA Captains Leaving RGV June 2017 The Little Paper You’ll Want To Keep & Share Vol. 4 No. 1 The Valley Spotlight Is Celebrating Its Fourth Birthday! This issue marks the beginning of our fourth year of pub- We also say a BIG THANK YOU to all of you who have lishing The Valley Spotlight! With much gratitude, we thank enjoyed reading The Valley Spotlight for the past three years. all of the individuals and businesses in the Rio Grande Valley Without YOU, there would be no reason to continue. - So with great enthusiasm and joy, we begin Volume 4 and tributions in writing stories and articles. look forward to many more to come. June is a Month Full of History and Celebrations On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Al- On June 8, 1874, Apache leader Cochise On June 16, 1963, Valentina Tereshkova, lied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of died on the Chiricahua Reservation in south- eastern Arizona. After a peace treaty had been in space as her Soviet space- Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, broken by the U.S. Army in 1861, he waged war against the Tyuratam launch site. the operation a crusade in which, “we will settlers and soldiers, forc- She manually controlled the accept nothing less than full victory.” ing them to withdraw from spacecraft completing 48 or- southern Arizona. In 1862, bits in 71 hours before land- he became principal chief ing safely.
  • Hurricane Season Just Getting Started

    Hurricane Season Just Getting Started

    Contact For Immediate Release Mark Hanna August 1, 2013 (512) 326-7616 Hurricane Season Just Getting Started Just four named storms make up the 2013 hurricane season thus far. Despite projections of a higher than average number of storms and hurricanes this summer, no hurricanes have formed and short term forecasts don’t call for any tropical storm formations. But a spokesman for the National Weather Service says the hurricane season has actually been more active this year than average and the season is just getting started. “We are still a long way from our peak season for hurricanes which is late August and September, so a lot can happen between now and then,” said Dan Reilly, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in League City. “On average, we usually have had only two named storms by this time, so we are actually above normal by that measure. We'd expect the hurricane activity to start picking up as we go through August and September.” The tropical storms that have formed this year have been Andrea, Barry, Chantal and Dorian. Tropical Storm Andrea drenched the entire east coast once it made landfall June 6. Tropical Storm Barry plowed into Mexico’s gulf coast on June 20, while Tropical Storms Chantal and Dorian fizzled out in the Caribbean in July. It’s been almost five years since a hurricane has struck Texas. Hurricanes Ike and Dolly along with Tropical Storm Edouard all struck Texas in 2008. Hurricane Ike was the costliest storm in Texas history with $12 billion in insured losses.
  • A Classification Scheme for Landfalling Tropical Cyclones

    A Classification Scheme for Landfalling Tropical Cyclones

    A CLASSIFICATION SCHEME FOR LANDFALLING TROPICAL CYCLONES BASED ON PRECIPITATION VARIABLES DERIVED FROM GIS AND GROUND RADAR ANALYSIS by IAN J. COMSTOCK JASON C. SENKBEIL, COMMITTEE CHAIR DAVID M. BROMMER JOE WEBER P. GRADY DIXON A THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in the Department of Geography in the graduate school of The University of Alabama TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA 2011 Copyright Ian J. Comstock 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT Landfalling tropical cyclones present a multitude of hazards that threaten life and property to coastal and inland communities. These hazards are most commonly categorized by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Potential Disaster Scale. Currently, there is not a system or scale that categorizes tropical cyclones by precipitation and flooding, which is the primary cause of fatalities and property damage from landfalling tropical cyclones. This research compiles ground based radar data (Nexrad Level-III) in the U.S. and analyzes tropical cyclone precipitation data in a GIS platform. Twenty-six landfalling tropical cyclones from 1995 to 2008 are included in this research where they were classified using Cluster Analysis. Precipitation and storm variables used in classification include: rain shield area, convective precipitation area, rain shield decay, and storm forward speed. Results indicate six distinct groups of tropical cyclones based on these variables. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the faculty members I have been working with over the last year and a half on this project. I was able to present different aspects of this thesis at various conferences and for this I would like to thank Jason Senkbeil for keeping me ambitious and for his patience through the many hours spent deliberating over the enormous amounts of data generated from this research.
  • A Sure Presence

    A Sure Presence

    A Sure Presence The American Red Cross Response to Hurricanes in 2008 A Message From the President and CEO The 2008 hurricane season was one of the most destructive and costliest seasons in history. Eight named storms struck the U.S. coast, with powerful winds and surging floodwaters forcing millions of residents to abandon their homes and cherished possessions. Your generosity enabled the American Red Cross to help them with shelter, food and other essentials. As we prepare for the 2009 hurricane season, which begins June 1, we want to acknowledge the generous individuals, corporations and foundations that supported our emergency response this past year. We have prepared this report to let you know how your dollars made a difference. Not long after the back-to-back onslaughts of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike last September, I traveled to Texas to witness the amazing work of the Red Cross. In response to the eight named storms, more than 26,000 Red Cross employees and volunteers deployed to help those affected by the storms. Thanks to your support, the Red Cross provided relief and replenished spirits by— Opening more than 1,000 shelters and providing more than 497,000 overnight stays. Serving more than 16 million meals and snacks to first responders and affected residents. Offering more than 54,000 mental health contacts. Distributing more than 232,000 clean-up and comfort kits. Partnering with the more than 100 government representatives stationed in various local, state and federal emergency operation centers. A humanitarian relief effort of this magnitude was a beautiful thing to behold, and it would not have been possible without you.
  • Preparedness and Mitigation in the Americas

    Preparedness and Mitigation in the Americas

    PREPAREDNESS AND MITIGATION IN THE AMERICAS Issue No. 79 News and Information for the International Disaster Community January 2000 Inappropriate Relief Donations: What is the Problem? f recent disasters worldwide are any indication, Unsolicited clothing, canned foods and, to a lesser the donation of inappropriate supplies remains extent, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, I a serious problem for the affected countries. continue to clog the overburdened distribution networks during the immediate aftermath of highly-publicized tragedies. This issue per- sists in spite of health guidelines issued by the World Health Organization, a regional policy adopted by the Ministries of Health of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the educational lobbying efforts of a consortium of primarily European NGOs w w w. wemos.nl). I N S I D E Now the Harvard School of Public Health has partially addressed the issue in a com- prehensive study of U.S. pharmaceutical News from d o n a t i o n s (w w w. h s p h . h a r v a r d . e d u / f a c u l t y / PAHO/WHO r e i c h / d o n a t i o n s / i n d e x . h t m). Although the 2 study correctly concluded that the "problem A sports complex in Valencia, Venezuela, which served as the main temporary shel- Other ter for the population displaced by the disaster, illustrates what happens when an may be more serious in disaster relief situa- Organizations enormous amount of humanitarian aid arrives suddenly in a country.